Lexi 1 shot up; J-Ro joint 15th

PRATTVILLE, Alabama – Defending champion Lexi Thompson shot a 3-under 69 on Friday to take a one-stroke lead into the weekend at the Navistar LPGA Classic.

The 17-year-old Thompson had a 12-under 132 total on the links-style Senator course at the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail’s Capitol Hill complex. She matched the tournament record Thursday with a career-best 63.

Last year, Thompson became the youngest champion in LPGA Tour history at age 16, winning by five strokes. Fifteen-year-old amateur Lydia Ko broke the record last month in the Canadian Women’s Open.

Mindy Kim and Mi Jung Hur were a stroke back. They played in the same group and each shot 65.

Jennifer Rosales sustained her form and shot a four-under 68 to move up to joint 15th with a seven-under 137, her best 36-hole output in a long, long while.

Coming off a three-under effort in the first round, the former two-time LPGA winner came through with back-to-back birdies from No. 5, slowed down by a bogey on the par-5 eighth but hit another two birdies from No. 10 before holing out with another birdie on the 18th. – With AP